over the years I've found myself from time to time coming back and giving thought to this song. in my opinion it's the description of the funeral procession of a king/monarch figure, (fallen crown now covered with a veil) seen from the perspective of a distant observer (as my telescopic eye focused on the marching line). the atmosphere is proper heavy (muslin mist/icy cold), and the observer, although safe, is affected himself and can almost feel an impeding tragedy(the beating of my fear). when the boats (formed a line) and the funeral pyre is lit (flame rose up and swallowed whole the greatest of the fleet), thus the great king took his followers with him in the afterlife as (ashes lifted high are falling back into the sea), returning everything to nature, as in ashes to ashes and dust to dust. the chorus speaks the kings desire to find peace and silence in death (ashes take me back to earth, water(the sea?) quench my human thirst). all in all this song is a hidden masterpiece of poetry, and the lyrics are so visually strong one cannot help to see the movie of the funeral and its tragic closure.
over the years I've found myself from time to time coming back and giving thought to this song. in my opinion it's the description of the funeral procession of a king/monarch figure, (fallen crown now covered with a veil) seen from the perspective of a distant observer (as my telescopic eye focused on the marching line). the atmosphere is proper heavy (muslin mist/icy cold), and the observer, although safe, is affected himself and can almost feel an impeding tragedy(the beating of my fear). when the boats (formed a line) and the funeral pyre is lit (flame rose up and swallowed whole the greatest of the fleet), thus the great king took his followers with him in the afterlife as (ashes lifted high are falling back into the sea), returning everything to nature, as in ashes to ashes and dust to dust. the chorus speaks the kings desire to find peace and silence in death (ashes take me back to earth, water(the sea?) quench my human thirst). all in all this song is a hidden masterpiece of poetry, and the lyrics are so visually strong one cannot help to see the movie of the funeral and its tragic closure.